As his term ends, Pearson is praised for calm leadership

Ken Pearson made few, if any, snap decisions during his four-year stint as Boone County Presiding Commissioner.

In fact, Pearson’s legacy of “calm, quiet leadership” has been noted by fellow commissioners and other elected officials and department heads at the Boone County Government Center.

But when Pearson, whose term expires tomorrow, was questioned about whether he regrets not running for another term, he quickly answered, “No.”

It’s not that Pearson is ready to dart out the door at any moment or that he harbors ill feelings about his time on the county commission. To the contrary, Pearson said it has been “a rewarding experience,” but the end has come.

Pearson retired in 2006 after 27 years of working for the Department of Revenue in Jefferson City. Three weeks later, he was running for presiding commissioner. He was elected Nov. 7, 2006 — his 62nd birthday.

“I know better than to say I’ll stay retired,” he said. “But I don’t have any plans not to.” Pearson paused briefly then added, “You’re never too old to start another career.”

He and his wife, Dinah, likely will do some traveling. Pearson also has been crafting the beginning of a book that tells stories from his time in the Army in 1970-71.

“I don’t know if it will be a successful book, but I’ll have fun,” he said. The writing project will rely heavily on his self-described “strange sense of humor.”

“I think it’s important to have a little humor about things sometimes,” Pearson said. “Sometimes people take themselves way too seriously.”

Pearson also will stay connected to local government entities by filling an unexpired term on the Boone County Family Resources board of directors. He said he is considering requests to serve on other boards and commissions.

Fellow commissioner Skip Elkin ended a meeting last week with a short tribute to Pearson, noting the presiding commissioner’s “leadership and calm demeanor.”

“You have served the citizens well. It’s been an honor,” Elkin said.

County Assessor Tom Schauwecker, who was first elected in 1989, said the word “excellent” completely sums up his assessment of Pearson’s term in office.

“His personality, his experience from Vietnam to Jeff City to Columbia prepared him well to serve as presiding commissioner,” Schauwecker said.

Even when he sparred with the county commission over budget decisions and other issues, Schauwecker said, it did not affect his personal or professional relationship with Pearson.

“He listened to everyone in the room and then made a decision,” Schauwecker said. “He truly understands the organizational structure of county government, and his reach never exceeded his grasp.”

Pearson said he will miss being involved in economic development efforts and some of the county’s administrative functions, such as planning and zoning hearings. Even though P&Z hearings were some of the commission’s longest meetings, those were times when he got to ask a lot of questions and hear a lot of feedback, he said.

“You don’t have to be the font of all knowledge. You don’t have to get the credit,” Pearson said. “You just have to see the results. You stay calm, you work together, you achieve a result.”

Pearson’s four-year term came during the leanest economy since the Great Depression. The 2011 budget passed two weeks ago represents the third-straight year that county employees will go without a pay increase and the third-straight year the commission had to dip into reserves to keep the budget in the black.

As far as leaving any “unfinished business,” Pearson said the process of government is ongoing.

“I don’t know if there’s a ‘finish’ to it,” he said, pointing out that economic development, for instance, never stops.